Methods of treating a retroviral infection

Abstract

The invention relates to a non-coding sequence of deoxyribonucleic acids comprising at least one sequence motif N 1 N 2 CGN 3 N 4 , wherein N is a nucleotide comprising A, C, T, or G, and C is deoxycytidine, G is deoxyguanosine, A is deoxyadenosine and T is deoxy-thymidine for the treatment of viral infections. In particular, the non-coding sequence of deoxyribonucleic acids is used in combination with antiretroviral therapy and/or histone de-acetylase inhibitors.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of treating a latent human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) infection in a patient in need thereof, comprising administering to the patient a non-coding sequence of deoxyribonucleic acids comprising 
       
         
           
                 
                 
               
                     
                   (SEQ ID NO: 5) 
                 
                     
                   CCTAGGGGTT ACCACCTTCA TTGGAAAACG TTCTTCGGGG 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   CGTTCTTAGG TGGTAACC CCTAGGGGTT ACCACCTTCA 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   TTGGAAAACG TTCTTCGGGG CGTTCTTAGG TGGTAACC 
                 
             
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
         in combination with combination antiretroviral therapy. 
       
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-coding sequence of deoxyribonucleic acids has a length of up to 200 nucleotides. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-coding sequence of deoxyribonucleic acids has a length of 116 nucleotides. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , where the non-coding sequence of deoxyribonucleic acids is part of a single stranded region. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  comprising administering the non-coding sequence of deoxyribonucleic acids simultaneously, alternating or successively with combination antiretroviral therapy. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the non-coding sequence of deoxyribonucleic acids is administered prior to combination antiretroviral therapy. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-coding sequence of deoxyribonucleic acids is administered as an adjuvant in therapeutic or prophylactic vaccination.